HEMITRAGUS. 7 ee 
“Ttis a pleasant sight to watch a herd of ibex, when undisturbed, the 
kids frisking here and there on pinnacles or ledges of rocks and beetling 
cliffs, where there seems scarcely safe foothold for anything much larger 
than the grasshopper or a fly; the old mother looking calmly on or 
grazing steadily while the day is young, cropping the soft moss or tender 
herbs and sweet short grass springing from the crevices of the cragg 
precipices in rich abundance. ‘Then, again, to see the caution observed 
in taking up their resting or abiding places for the day, where they may 
be warmed by the sun, listening to the roar of many waters, and figu- 
ratively, we may say, chewing the cud of contentment, and giving them- 
selves up to the full enjoyment of their nomadic life and its romantic 
haunts. Usually before reposing one of the herd, generally an old doe, 
may be observed intently gazing below, apparently scanning every spot 
in the range of her vision, sometimes for half an hour or more before 
she is satisfied that ‘allis well; strange to say, seldom or ever looking 
up to the rocks above. Then, being satisfied on the one side, she 
observes the same process on the other, eventually calmly lying down, 
contented with the precautions she has taken that all is safe. Her post 
as sentinel is generally a prominent one, on the edge and corner perhaps 
of some ledge, to be well sheltered from the wind and warmed by the 
sun, along which the rest of the herd dispose themselves as inclined, 
fully trusting in the watchful guardian, whose manceuvres I have been 
describing. Should the sentinel be joined by another, or her kid come 
and lie down by her, they invariably place themselves back to back, or 
in such a manner that they can keep a look-out on either side. A soli- 
tary male goes through all this by himself, and wonderfully careful he is, 
but when with the herd he reposes in security, leaving it to the females 
to take precautions for their mutual safety. I have stated that these 
animals seldom look above them, except when any cause of alarm leads 
them to do so. I recollect an instance which I will relate, partly to 
show the advantage of a good colour for a stalker’s dress, and to illus- 
trate what I have mentioned above. I had disturbed a buck ibex 
accidentally one morning, and, after watching him a long distance with 
the glass, observed him to take up a position and commence the vigilant 
process previously mentioned. By this I knew he was preparing to lie 
down. He was a long time about it, but eventually he was satisfied, and 
took up his post on a prominent rock, from which, as lying with his 
back to the mountain, he held a clear view in front and on both sides. 
I approached from above, the wind all right, and the ibex reposing 
comfortably in fancied security, I had to pass a large rock to clear an 
intervening impediment, and gain a full view of the buck, as I could 
at first only see his horns. I had taken the precaution to remove my 
shoes, the grass being very dry and noisy. The crunching of the dry 
grass as I moved attracted the notice of the ibex, and suddenly he 
